At First Things and Bruce Charlton’s blog.

Civil marriage is approved by God. In the eyes of the church, a civilly married couple can righteously exercise the greatest power God gives us, procreation. Burke’s little platoons–civil society, which establishes marriages, the little institution of the marriage itself–are as good for the Church as they are for the State. So we shouldn’t read the Proclamation’s call for government to support the family as either merely a good secular policy or as a good result for Mormon families. The Proclamation is calling on governments to exercise the authority that God grants them to create the sacred arrangement that He has ordained for all humankind inside and outside the kingdom. I have been deeply moved as I’ve worked in my ward to see how careful bishops and presidents are to discuss callings and ordinances with non-member spouses or parents and secure their consent and even cooperation.

But celestial marriage is the better part. I think we honor civil marriages so much because we see in them the future ordinance that will make these marriages celestial from the inception. Marriage is for time only for a time. The death clause will die.